Crab-crate.



C. A. LOOCKERMAN.

GRAB CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED AAPB.. 9, 1912.

1,073,356. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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. n. @Mun C. A. LOOGKERMAN.

GRAB CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED une; 1912.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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CHARLES A. LOOCKER-MAN, 0F CRISFIEID, MARYLAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16,1913.

Application led April 9, 1912. Serial No. 689,529.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it' known that I, CHARLES A. Loooxnn- VMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Crisield, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crab-j Crates, of which the following is aspeciication.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in shipping boxes and more particularly to an improved form of shipping box designed for the transportation of soft crabs.

Soft crabs have heretofore been shipped re-ice the crabs during transportation, and

also because -it is almost impossible with a centrally positioned ice chest to keep the crabs suflicientlycool. p v

In order to overcome thesedefects, I have provided a shipping box having a plurality of crabholding trays placed in superimposed position in the box in such a manner as to leave a space at the. ends of the box and above the trays for the necessary ice packing. As will be readily apparent, this greatly simplifies not only the original packing of the crabs, but also the renewal of the ice during transport-ation, which is necessary in shipments to remote points. y y y It is`well knownfthat the crabs arrive in much better condition if packed in a practically air tight shipping box and I have therefore carefully constructed my shipping box with that point vin view, one of the objects of my invention consisting in the provision of water sealed drains for drawingl the water from` the melted ice without admitting air to the box.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for insuringt-iie proper positioning of the trays in the box and for preventing all movement or shifting ofthe trays during transportation. And a still further object of my invention isto provide an inner cover adapted to be positioned over the uppermost tray and to be locked in place to prevent access to the crabs during transportation, while at the same time the box may be readily opened to permit the vrenewal of the ice packing about the trays.

lVith these and other objects in view, my

invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the drawings and then specifically ypointed out in theclaims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my shipping box, showing the outer :cover about to be applied; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3 1s a similar section on the line 33 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of 2, showing the positioning of the trays; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig.

4, looking downwardly and showing one of the trays in plan.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

My invention embodies a shipping box proper, including a bottom member 10, upstanding end walls 1l and 12 and front and back walls 13 and 14, the ends of said latter walls preferably extending a slight distance beyond the outer faces of the end walls to lie flush with the vertically extending outer braces 15, the ends of which extend somewhat above the top of the box to form guides for the outer cover which will be hereinafter more fully described. 4 Secured across the upper ends of these braces and consequently in spaced relation to the ends of` the box, are the transversely extending strips 16, these strips serving to both brace the upper portion of the box, and as handles to assist in the handling of the 4same during transportation. The rear portion of the top of the box is permanently closed by a fixed cover portion 17, comprising a relatively narrow strip of wood, or of whatever material the box isV made, secured by one edge to the upper edge of the back of the box and by its ends to the upper edges of the ends of the box and to the upper ends of the adjacent braces 15. Secured against Vthe inner faces of the front and back walls of the box and bearing by their edges against the end walls, are additional braces 18 which extend vertically throughout the height of the box and not only reinforce- Extending transversely across the ends ofl the box and bearing by their lower edges against the bottom of the same, are b-race strips 19, the ends of which are secured to the inner edge portions of the vertical braces or guides 18 and a similar brace 20 extends transversely across the central por- .tion of the box in parallel relation to thev braces 19, the upper faces of these braces lying in a plane parallel to the bottom of the box and forming a support for the lowermost of aplurality of superimposed crab 'holding trays 21. Each of these trays com* prises a rectangular shaped frame 22 substantially equal in width to the inner width ofthe'box and of such length that when in position its ends rest upon the braces 19 andbear against the inner edges of the vertical braces 18. Each of these frames is pro vided with a bottom formedrof spaced slats 23 and with a centrally positioned, transversely extending partitionY wall 24, although the latter may be omitted if preferred, particularly in small packing boxes, its function being to prevent undue moving about of the crabs. t

Any number of trays may be employed, depending upon circumstances, the comparative size of the shipping box and the size of the trays. The crabs are packed in the trays with sea-grass in the customary manner, as well as in the bottom of the box between the transverse braces 19 Vand the brace 20, and the trays are positioned in the4 box, as shown, the uppermost tray being a considerable distance below the top of lie with their upper faces flush with the top of the box when the closure is in place. The body member 26 is braced transversely by a brace member 28 secured to the central portion 4of the body member and by its ends to the side members 27, the upper face of this brace member being` notchedj, as .shown at 29, to permit the `necessary tilting of the closure to pass the same beneath the permanent cover ,portion 17 of the box, both in positioning the closure and in removing the same; The corners of this inner closure, as shown, engage with the front and rear walls of the box and with the braces 18 carried v hasped in place.

there-by, the closure therefore Y beingrheld with the first end, the ends bei-ng then secured in the customary manner by compressing the seal, thuspreventing access to the crabs contained in the trays.

The spaces between the ends of the trays and the ends of the box are then filled withV ice and a layer of ice ispaclr'ed over the upper face ofthe inner cover or closure-26, the brace 28 of said closure notv only serving to stiifen thevclosure to support the weight of the ice, but also preventing undue shifting of the ice during transportation.V The cover proper of the box is then applied. This cover .comprises a bodymember 34 having4 secured to its .lower face .transversely extending brace strips 35 which extend beyond the cover at its rear edge to engage the permanent cover member 17 land the forward 'ends ofwhichlengage against the inner faces of the brace `n iembers 18 carried by the front wall .ofthe casing."` These.-

brace strips 35 are spaced a artY inv Suche manner as `to bear againstt e inner faces of the end walls of the box and so prevent all longitudinal as wellas lateral movement extended upper ends of the braces 4lpralso assisting in this operation. Thefforward edge of the. outer cover 34Y and the front Y walls of the box are providedwith the coacting members of any suitable form of .Y 'catch l36 by` means 'of which.. the cover may `be held against casual disengagement.V f

As means for draining the water from the box, causedby the'meltingcf the ice,

,I have provided the endwalls of the box,

adjacenttheirv flower edges, with; suitable drain openings 37 which are directed iis `a water seal and prevent the admission Aof "i air to the box. Y Y i.

InV operation, the crabs are packedV inthe central portion of the bottom ofthe boxV and in the trays Vwith the` usual sea-grass, ,Q the trays areplaced in the box, the inner closure 25 is locked in place, as previously described, and ice packed at the ends `of the box and over the top of the inner closure, after which the outer cover is applied and From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have providedashipping box which is simple in construction and which is particularly adapted for the purpose for which it is intended, all access to the trays being iprevented, while at the same time the box may at any time be opened to renew the ice.

It may be noted from the foregoing description that practically all the braces employed instrengthening the box, also serve as guides or supports for holding the movable trays and their closure in place.

It will of course be understood that although the above described box is preferably formed of wood and used for shipping purposes, it may be formed of any desired material, such' as metal, and employed for any purpose to which it is applicable, such as the storing of the crabs after they have reached their destination.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A shipping box including a body member having a bottom, front and rear walls, and end walls, vertical braces secured to the inner faces of the front and rear walls at both ends thereof and extending throughout the height of the body, transversely extending braces secured to the bottom of the body member, a top member partially closing the top of the body member, a plurality of trays positioned in superimposed relation in the body member, the lowermost of said trays being supported in spaced relation above the bottom by the transverse'braces, the end portions of all ofsaid trays bearing against the vertical braces and being spaced from the end walls of the body member, thereby to provide ice receiving chambers, an inner closure seating upon the uppermost tray and with its rear portion extended beneath the top member and held in place thereby, said tray being provided with upwardly directed retaining walls at its front and rear edges Vand terminating at its ends flush with the body member for maintaining the trays with their ends spaced from the ends of the body member to provide ice chambers, the uppermost tray being below the level of the top of the body member, an imperforate inner closure seating upon the uppermost tray and having front and rear walls providing an upper ice chamber in communication at its ends with the first mentioned ice chambers, a brace extending transversely and centrally of the closure to divide said upper ice chamber to prevent the shifting of ice from one end of the body member to the other, and an outer closure for said body member.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LOOCKERMAN.

Witnesses:

J. D. YOAKLEY, SAMUEL N. AGKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

